Quenching device



vJune 20, 1933.

L. WHITNEY 1,914,934

QUENCHING DEVICE Filed June 6, 1931 Patented .lune 20, 1933 Wirren s'rafrss PATENT FFICE- LOREN L. WHITNEY, OF HAMMOND, INDIANA, ASSIGNOR '10 AMERICAN STEEL FOUNDRIES, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, A CORPORATION' OF NEW JERSEY QUENcHrNG DEVICE Application led .Tune 6, 1931.

This invention pertains to quenching devices, and more particularly to an apparatus for effectively practicing the method of quenching castings under conditions made and maintained constant.

In making certain castings, for example, tie plates for rails, it has been the practice to quench the castings after the forging operation. In order to properly quench these castings it has been the practice to place them in an oil bath for a certain length of time, after which they are removed and may be further cooled in the atmosphere.

There have been very serious difficulties encountered with the use of the oil bath, one of which is that after the oil has been in use a very short time it heats up to a point where it is no longer useful. The oil must then be replaced by new oil or cooled. It is not practical to use an elaborate refrigerating system to cool the oil, so replacing the oil is naturally resorted to, which means that that bath is out of use while the oil is being replaced.

With these difficulties it will be appreciated that the foundries, especially those making a large number of similar castings, naturally sought methods, processes and apparatus wherein a number of castings can be simultaneously and continually quenched under constant conditions.

It is therefore an object of this invention to provide a device for quenching which simultaneously quenches a number of castings, and wherein the apparatus can be continuously used without effecting changes in the conditions of quenching.

Another object is to provide an apparatus for performing the method of quenching castings in an inexpensive and positive manner, which apparatus fulfills all requirements of manufacture.

With these and various other objects in vie-w, the invention may consist of certain novel features of construction and operation as will be more fully described and particularly pointed out in the specification, drawing and claims appended hereto.

In the drawing, which illustrates an embodiment of the device, and wherein like ref- Seral No. 542,602.

erence characters are used to designate like parts- Figure 1 is a top plan view of apparatus shown more or less diagrammatically, for effecting the invention;

Figure 2 is a side elevation of the apparatus shown in Figure `1, with certain parts omitted; and

Figure 3 is a transverse sectional elevation taken substantially in the plane as indicated by the line 3-3 of Figure 2.

The assembly of apparatus for performing the invention includes essentiallyl the support 10 which, in the embodiment shown, comprises the spaced frame members 12 provided with the longitudinal supporting members 14- spaced apart transversely of the supporting assembly. The apparatus shown is readily adapted for use in quenching tie plates, and to this end suitable spacing members 1G are provided on the supports 14 for properly spacing the tie plates 18.

At convenient and proper distances above and below the tie plates and their supports quenching pipes 2O and 22 are disposed 75 These pipes are respectively provided with a multiplicity of spaced and adjacent apertures facing the supports, that is, the pipes 2O and 22 are provided respectively with downwardly and upwardly facing apertures. The pipes 2O and 22 are connected to the steam pipe 24: through hand valves 26 and 28, and are also connected to the compressed air pipe 30 through hand valves 32 and Sei. At each end of the supporting assembly there is a battery 36 of blowers or fans. Each battery consists of fans 38, e0 and 42 facing fans 44, 4:6 and i8 whereby the castings being quenched are subjected to the air supplied from the fans.

Tn operation, the tie plates are forged and placed at substantially the forging hea-t on the supports 11i. The valves 26, 2S, 32 and 34e are then regulated so that proper sprays of the mixture of compressed air and steam are sprayed on the castings. This has been found, however, to be not suiiicient and not proper in itself, as, no matter how ne the spray is, it is too harsh and does not properly quench the castings. Therefore, when the valves are operated the fans are set in motion causing soL the sprays to be so finely divided as to form a fog or vapor blanket completely around the castings. This Vapor maintained for a suitable length of time properly effects the desired result.

It will beappreciated that this apparatus can be operated for any length of time under constant and unchanging conditions, and thus a very effective yet inexpensive 4device is provided.

Although the specification has referred to the article as a casting, it is of course to be understood that the product may be formed or forged from a bar, in which case no forging operation isfnecessary,the finishing operation being grinding.

It is to be understood that I do'not wish to be vlimited by the exact embodimentz of the device shown, which is merely by way of illus- 2. In a quenching'device, the combinationy of a support, means for directing a mixture of compressed air and steam toward articlesV on said support, and blowers disposed at opposite ends of said support and facing-each other and directed so vthat the air currents therefrom will finely divide and carry the said mixture toward said support.

3. In a quenching "device, the combination of a support, means for directing a mixture' of different fluids toward articles onsaid support, and a blower disposed adjacent said support and directed so that the air currentsA therefrom will finely divide andy carry 4the said mixtures toward said support.

4. In a quenching device, the combination of a support, means for directing a mixture of different fluids toward articles on said support, and blowers disposed at o posite-ends of said support and facing eacli other and directed so that the air currents therefrom will finely divide and carry the said mixture toward said support.

5. In a quenching device, the combination of a support, means for directing fluid toward articles on said support, and means for separately so directing air currents toward said articles as to finely divide said fluid..V

6. In a quenching device, the combination of a support for holding articles to be quenched, apertured conduits disposed in spaced relation to said supportv whereby sprays from said conduits are directed toward opposite sides of said articles, and blower means for vaporizing the sprays. 

